


To Make Fire

by DragonflyxParodies



Series: Capricorn [4]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Under the Red Hood
Genre: Adoption, Brotherly Bonding, Bruce Wayne Is A Shit Dad, Emotional Conversations, Gen, Talia is a good mom, kind of, mentions of past trauma, parenting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-14
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-05-22 00:31:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14925983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonflyxParodies/pseuds/DragonflyxParodies
Summary: “If I cannot trust him with the son he does know, why would I trust him with the son he does not?” Red Hood’s got a sidekick now, apparently, and the Batfam reacts about as well as expected. AU in which Talia sends Damian to Jason instead of Bruce after Jason’s homecoming. This is much darker than this summary makes it sound. Lots of sibling fluff.





	1. Chapter 1

               “What brought this on?” He asked, but the words stuck in his throat. Clung to his teeth like syrup, sticky and thick. He knew the answer, before she offered him a pale smile, sad eyes. His fingers lifted from the chilled glass he held, pressing against the fabric of his sweater before he even knew what he was going.

The scar on his neck was ugly, not the kind easily hidden by makeup and misdirection. High collars and turtlenecks worked, but they couldn’t erase its presence.

Talia took his hand in hers, and pulled him out to the ballroom floor.

“Your father has proven himself unworthy of the name. If I cannot trust him with the son he _does_ know, why would I trust him with the son he does not?” The question was rhetorical, and he wasn’t quite sure how to answer. They fell in step with the other dancers, with the music, without a thought.

“You’ve built his entire life around him.” Jason said. Her eyes darkened, grip tightening momentarily.

“It is an…adjustment. Nothing more. He still needs a mentor, after all.” She added, a smile coiling at the edges of her mouth. He was mid-eyeroll before he realized what she meant – why she’d called him there.

“You…”

“Yes.”

“I can’t—”

“I do not believe that at no point you considered what killing your mentors would mean, dearest. I gave you the best. You became the best. And then you _eliminated_ the competition. Who else is there?”

He gaped. Stopped moving. She rolled her eyes – _he didn’t even know she could do that –_ and dragged him off the floor, out onto an empty balcony. Glass doors clicked shut behind them, muffling the music and chatter of the gala, and Jason had the presence of mind to look around, to see if they were really alone.

A couple of League members nodded at him from their positions along the balcony’s doors, on both sides of the glass, but no other guests lingered outside.

“Do you have this whole place under control?” He asked, amused, and Talia chuckled.

“I would not bring you or your brother here if I did not.”

_God_ , that made his heart ache, in a way he wasn’t sure was painful or not.

She reached up and smoothed a stray lock of hair back from his eyes, eyes dark and serious as she regarded him.

“I would have sent him to you earlier, but I thought it prudent to wait until you possessed an adequate home. A… _stable_ life.”

Jason’s breath caught in his throat. It still shocked him, the _trust_ she was placing in him.

“It’s not…not what he’s used to. It’s not even a safe part of town, Mom.”

For an instant, her expression softened so completely she was almost unrecognizable. She preened every time he called her that, every time he openly accepted, openly validated their relationship.

He didn’t get the chance too often, not without Bruce looming over them, twisting it into something bitter and sharp.

“It is a good school district though.”

“ _Oh my god.”_ He choked back his laughter, bent over a little to stifle the noise.

“Okay— _barely_. But—you can’t keep him hidden here. It’s Gotham. Bat’s city. And the kid looks enough like his old man, they’ll know the minute they see him – and he _will_ meet the Sirens sooner rather than later.”

“And if they try to take him from you, you will kill them. I don’t care if my beloved figures out who Damian is— _what_ Damian is. I _don’t_ want him to have anything to do with my sons. You know your father better than anyone, save perhaps Richard and your grandfather. Damian will learn just as much from you – likely even more – than he would in the hands of a man I can’t trust to _keep his own sons alive_.”

Jason shuddered at the venom in her voice, the snarl on her lips. Even in passing, in perfectly acceptable places and times, bringing it up still _hurt_.

And still, he was again awed at her. Her acceptance, her love. She _hated_ Selina. Hated Ivy and Harley, though not as vehemently, for the sole fact they, too, held the position of _mother_ to him. Yet she was _allowing_ it.

He glanced out over the edge of the balcony, at Gotham’s skyline, covered in fog. The smear of neon and light was pale, washed out at this distance, especially without the bat signal to mar its sky.

He drew in a slow, shaky breath.

“…Yeah. Okay. I—yeah. But we do things my way.”

The words felt heavy, like lead weights. But – Talia was right. He was a better option than Bruce, and he would make sure the kid was safe – off the streets, learning what he needed to with as little risk as possible. She’d given him enough time to recover, to build his empire. He ruled the Gotham underworld now. The only challengers he would have to deal with were the bat kind, or outsiders - minor, compared to what he’d already dealt with.

“I would expect nothing less.” She murmured, and gestured to the men behind them. Jason turned in time to see them opening the balcony doors again, two black-suited women guiding a smaller figure out between them.

He hadn’t seen Damian since his failed homecoming, since he’d woken screaming, barely alive, to the boy clutching his hand at his bedside. It had been a little over two years. Yet he still looked the same. Small for his age, dressed impeccably in a black suit, dark hair slicked back and eyes guarded. A little taller, though not by much.

It took a moment for Damian to recognize him, but when he did the boy bolted past his guards and slammed into Jason’s stomach.

Before the incident, Talia might’ve scolded Damian. Told him the display of emotion was shameful, an expression of weakness, unbefitting the Al Ghul heir.

That she didn’t…Jason swallowed down the thick rush of emotions that threatened to overwhelm him, hugging his brother just as tightly back. She cared about him. Enough to – enough that Bruce’s actions might’ve broken any shred of affection she held for him. Enough that she no longer saw her own father’s methods as effective, worth the cost. Enough that she was giving Damian _something_ of a childhood.

“I…hey, kid.”

Talia smiled, a little sharp and a little possessive as she watched them.

“Your father will be arriving soon. If you wish to antagonize him, be my guest, but it is time for me to go.”

Damian pulled away and straightened himself up, pulling his suit down and running a quick hand through his hair, before nodding. Jason rolled his eyes at the sudden formality.

“Leave the back door open, please?”

“Darling, what makes you think I would _ever_ take the back door?”

“Bruce fucked with Catwoman recently and Ivy is on her killer mom mode. I may be encouraging it.”

Talia’s eyes narrowed but she nodded slowly. Whether she’d go through with it or not was still up in the air, but she was at least pretending to do so for Jason’s sake, and that was basically the same thing.

“Goodbye, Mother.”

Damian stepped forward and hugged her, and Jason fought very hard to hide his grin when she sank down to properly hug him back. Damian didn’t handle embarrassment all that well.

“I will see you soon, darling. Keep your brother in line for me.”

“Of course, Mother.”

Talia’s smile was fragile, but she stood up nonetheless, and let go of Damian.

The kid had wiped any expression off his face, and he stepped back until he was standing at Jason’s side without another word.

Jason’s hand found his shoulder before he knew what he was doing.

“Be safe.”

“We’ll be fine. I’ll call you if we need anything.”

She pressed a kiss to Jason’s cheek, and swept back inside with an unnatural grace. As one her people filed after her, dropping any pretense of being guests. The real guests, those actually hosting and actually invited, scurried to get out of her way. Jason didn’t need to see her face to know their fear made her smile.

“…She doing okay?” Jason asked, and Damian looked up at him sharply.

“…Father tried to contact her recently. I am not supposed to know. I do not think it went well.” Damian inched a little closer as he spoke though, until he was pressed against Jason’s side. Jason moved his hand, slung his arm around Damian’s shoulders instead.

That was…well, it made sense. He still couldn’t quite get over how _much_ she was doing for him, for Damian, in the face of Bruce’s rage. He wasn’t quite sure how he was supposed to pay her back for it.

“Well. Look – he’s going to find out about you pretty quick no matter what we do, but we don’t have to fuck with him today if you don’t want to.”

Damian looked unsure for a moment, but shrugged and scowled.

“Eloquently put, Todd. But I do not- it does not matter.”

Jason rolled his eyes, but didn’t fight back his smile.

He hadn’t expected _this_. But the thought of sending Damian to Bruce, of sending _another_ child off on his war, made him physically ill. Damian was going to learn a thousand different ways to kill a man whether Jason wanted him to or not – loveable or not, the kid was nuts – but, in much the same way Talia had used training to stall him, he could do the same for her son. For his baby brother.

“You never called.” Damian said suddenly, and Jason dragged his thoughts back to the present. Rubbed at the scar, when Damian turned his sharp glare on him.

“…No. Thought about it. Thought about it a lot. But I was – I wasn’t in a good place.”

“You _never_ have been.” Damian snapped back, and the hurt in his eyes –

“No, but I’m…more stable now. Doesn’t sound like much, kid, but it’s…a lot. Made some friends, technically, took care of some business. Talia loves me but not enough to send you to me when I can’t tell when I’m hallucinating, when I can’t tell if I’m hurting someone _good_.”

It occurred to him then that Damian hadn’t realized how badly he’d relapsed, afterwards.

“I’ll…tell you whatever you want. Once we get out of here. ‘Kay?”

“I will hold you to that.” Damian muttered, but let Jason lead him back into the gala.

Dick was stepping out of a limousine as they left.

“I don’t have another helmet, sorry. Mom didn’t say I was taking anybody home.” Jason said dryly, handing the kid his own. Damian scowled, but put it on just as Dick turned to spot them.

“Hold on tight, kid.”

“I have ridden—”

“Dami, I’m not wearing a helmet, which is illegal. This place is surrounded by cops. I am going to go _fast_.” Jason interrupted, and swung himself onto his bike. Damian stood there glaring for half a second longer, but nodded.

Dick was headed towards them, trying to signal at Jason as discreetly as possible—and behind him, Bruce was turning to see them.

“I’m ready.” Damian said softly, and Jason peeled out before Dick could get any closer.

And fuck it _all_ if he didn’t grin when Damian dropped his head against Jason’s back, because _damn_ he’d missed the brat. And this? This was something he _knew_ he could do right.

And if he didn’t – well. Roy and Kori would be more than willing to correct any mistakes.


	2. I'm Telling Mom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five minutes later and Damian tattles to Talia, clearly this is a great start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> at some point I named a chapter of one of my fics 'everybody's naked' and it tried to autofill that and I DONT KNOW WHAT FIC IT IS BUT OMG ME - wait I found it I am so fucking proud of myself for that one, but why autofill why that was months agoooo
> 
> Anyway this is super short and didn't go the direction I wanted it to, but I think it's cuter/sweeter this way. Heavier shit'll be covered better independently.

               Damian graciously did nothing but sneer when they arrived at Jason’s apartment, which was…better than Jason had been expecting. The kid was gifted and deadly and dangerous, but absolutely fucking spoiled – and Jason had never enjoyed wealth, not like Talia did, not like Bruce did. His apartment was old, the building likely not even up to code, and his furniture secondhand. It was spacious enough, though barren – except for the kitchen. _That_ he didn’t scrimp on.

“Lucky you, this identity is known as Todd Peters, so you being an asshole and calling me by my last name won’t fuck anything up.” Jason began dryly, and kicked the door shut behind them. There was a pair of suitcases sitting in the middle of the living room, a sheathed katana laying neatly atop them.

The scent of Talia’s perfume pervaded the place, which eased the crawling under Jason’s skin. It was as close to an apology for violating his privacy as he would ever get, the only thing that kept him from immediately packing up and leaving.

Damian bolted for the luggage, snatching up the sword with a delighted expression on his face. And then he unsheathed it and pointed it at Jason.

And Kori called _him_ dramatic.

It took half a second to disarm him, once the kid finally launched himself at Jason, which didn’t really make Damian any calmer.

“You are a _liar_ and a _disgrace – “_

“Why’d you even agree to this if you’re this pissed?”

Damian managed to land a punch on his shoulder, but Jason hardly noticed – the kid was suddenly blinking back tears, looking so damn frightened—

“You never came back! How was I supposed to—”

Damian cut himself off, and Jason just sort of…melted. He pulled his brother into a hug, let Damian curl into him with a barely-stifled sob.

He just breathed for a long moment, squeezed the kid as tight as he could and ran a hand down his spine.

“I didn’t…I didn’t mean to make you think I’d…I’m sorry.” Jason finally whispered, his voice breaking. Damian pressed closer to him.

“Why?” Damian asked, and he swallowed back a sudden lump in his throat. He lifted the kid up carefully, and settled with him on the couch. Damian tensed, but didn’t move otherwise, and waited while Jason put his thoughts in order. He couldn’t lie to the kid. Wouldn’t. Talia might kill him again for telling Damian the truth, but…

“It’s…a lot to talk about. And I’m sorry. For leaving you like that. I just…I wasn’t safe to be around. After I woke up. The Pit doesn’t work on me like it does your grandfather. It wasn’t – I mean, the Pit’s still in my head and it went fucking _wild_ , but what happened really fucked me up. The…old-fashioned PTSD kinda trauma. Couldn’t eat. Couldn’t sleep either. When I did, I woke trying to kill anyone in the room. Hallucinated sometimes, heard voices. Considered killing myself for a while.” The confession came out easier than he’d thought it would. He was pretty sure everybody knew already, or had guessed, but he’d never told anyone. Not even Roy, or Kori. Damian just held onto him a little tighter.

“It would’ve – seeing that would’ve fucked you up, kid. So I asked Ivy to take me somewhere else. Her ‘n Cat Mom ‘n Harley have a place here, in the city. Wasn’t a very smart idea – kinda hard to sleep when the city’s signaling for the guy who cut your fucking throat every night – but they kept an eye on me. Kept me on track, making sure my contacts and jobs stayed ongoing. They gave me something to focus on. So like…six months after it happened, we were out and finally ran into him.”

Damian pulled back, settled facing him on his lap. Jason pretended not to notice the kid’s hand rise up and push his collar out of the way, press his fingers to the knot of scar tissue on the side of his throat.

“He…well. He’s decided to launch a fucking crusade to take me out. Doesn’t consider me _human_. He hadn’t told anybody I was alive, y’know. The Replacement was there. Seemed real damn excited when he put together who I was. So I kidnapped him for a bit. Grounded him, I guess. Kept him out of Gotham, away from Batman.”

“Why?” Damian’s nose wrinkled in disgust as he asked, and Jason was hit by _how long_ it had been since they’d last spoken. By how much had _changed_.

“…Harley killed the Joker. When we got back here. Said it was a deathday present for me. Replacement said he was glad. ‘N offered Robin back to me. I’d never…never thought that’d happen. Don’t think I really factored him into my plans as a _person_.” This, too, was easier to talk about than he’d expected.

“He took what was rightfully yours.” Damian protested, and Jason shook his head.

“Not…No. Bruce _gave away_ what was mine. What was Dick’s, too, I guess. There’s a difference, kid. ‘N…let’s be real, I’m pretty sure I’m _still_ not thinking straight. You might wanna tell Mom you’d rather stay dead then let her toss you in the Pit – this shit’s not fun.” Jason added, serious. Damian’s face scrunched up – Jason couldn’t identify what that meant, he’d never seen the kid make that expression before – but he folded his arms across his chest.

“And then? I doubt you _babysat_ for a year and a half, Todd.”

“No. I Fucked around on my own for a while. Talia made it pretty clear she didn’t approve of some of what I did. Figured she wouldn’t want that around you, and…I guess I was ashamed of some of it. And I…made some…well. I…uh…you’ll meet ‘em eventually. Kori and Roy. My…partners. And Lian. Your…I dunno. Niece? Sister? Whichever you’re comfortable with.”

Damian’s eyes got huge, and he scrambled to his feet so quickly he damn near tumbled over the coffee table. Jason tensed, half expecting the kid to hurt himself.

“You _impregnated_ someone!?”

“What – _no!_ Roy did! Jesus fuck kid, I’m just fucking her dad!” And _that_ was why Jason didn’t talk about personal shit. He had no tact.

And it wasn’t like he’d even told Talia, either. Not that she didn’t know or anything, he’d just never introduced Roy or Kori to her. He had with the Sirens - Ivy _loved_ Kori, Cat Mom approved of Roy, and Harley just loved being a ‘nana’. But since Talia’d basically adopted him, he was technically an Al Ghul – and Jason wasn’t sure how she’d react if she deemed the Outlaws unworthy. Damian had had that drilled into his head since birth. That, and Jason was pretty sure he’d never even heard of same-sex couples before.

Gotham Pride would be entertaining, that was for sure.

Damian’s whole face turned red.

“Um. Sorry? Dating. Seeing…uh…courting? Both of them? Koriand’r and Roy. Uh, Starfire and Arsenal. We’re the Outlaws. ‘N Roy knocked up that crazy bitch with the mask, Cheshire? She’s Lian’s mom. Since we’re fuck--- _dating_ —we kinda…I don’t know, took her in? Adopted her? Jade only has custody when no one’s trying to kill her, which is like _never._ ” Jason tried to backpedal, and judging by Damian’s reaction, failed miserably.

His little brother spluttered a moment, then dove for his suitcases with a screech.

“ _I’m telling Mother!_ ”


	3. this ones kinda serious lol

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason and Damian have a talk, and set some ground rules.

               Jason woke to an extra body in the bed. Too small to be Kori or Roy, too large to be Lian. Damian, his mind supplied, and he cracked his eyes open slowly.

The kid _usually_ slept like a damn vampire, still as stone and arms crossed over his chest – the whole nine yards. It was unnerving at best. To see him tucked in against Jason’s side, damn near on top of him, hands fisted in Jason’s shirt and out like a light was…well.

Last time Jason had seen the kid sleep like that, he hadn’t yet confronted Bruce.

_Bruce_. Fuck.

Untangling himself from Damian took some effort, and Jason ended up sacrificing his shirt to ensure the kid stayed asleep. Irritating, but worth the cost.

He shuffled into the kitchen, and started to cook. Hashbrowns, blueberry pancakes, and eggs for him. Not anything too elaborate, but enough work that it _might_ keep his mind off the inevitable shit show he’d have to deal with.

He was plating the food when he spotted Damian slink out of his room, glance at him and start prowling around the apartment.

He didn’t say anything, just let the kid investigate. Checking for security, exits and entrances, the layout – all things Jason knew would help calm the kid’s nerves. When he finished, Damian launched himself onto the counter and snatched a plate up.

“This place is disgusting.”

“Why thank you.”

“There is a toy chest in the spare bedroom.”

“Lian’s. Why, should we get you one too?”

Damian let out that little _tt_ noise he was so fond of, and evaded answering by stuffing enough pancake in his mouth that he looked like a chipmunk.

“Why are you… _using it?”_ He asked, when he’d swallowed.

“Because I have _you_ now. ‘N it’s – Talia wants me to train you in what I know, which is more than just a hundred ways ‘t stab a guy. I’mma start with shit the League doesn’t teach. So – we’re in a good school district, if barely. Low crime, but shitty enough I can run my business out of here in an emergency. Out of Bat territory but not so much we’d have to deal with the costumed variety of bullshit, ‘n close to a couple ‘a zeta tubes.”

“What is a zeta tube and _why_ does a ‘school district’ matter?” Damian shot back, and he looked genuinely alarmed. Jason grinned wickedly.

“Well – there’s two around here. One leads to the Watchtower, ‘n I can monitor who comes and goes. You’re not gonna wanna use that one unless shit _really_ goes down. Like, your mom ‘n I die or turn evil or some shit. ‘N then there’s _ours_.”

Jason gestured for Damian to follow him, and led him into the living room. He pulled the curtains away from the window, pointed towards the mouth of an alleyway just barely visible down the road.

“See that?”

“It looks cleaner than your apartment.”

“There’s a dumpster in there. If shit happens of the _less_ serious-but-still-concerning variety, like your dad showing up, book it to the dumpster. Hop inside. It’ll activate for ya, ‘n take you to our…home.”

“Our?” Damian’s expression shut right down, and Jason sighed.

“Kori’s got an island. Roy repurposed an alien ship ‘n it makes a pretty nice beach house. I’ll take you there when we get settled here. For now, it’s just a way out.”

Jason let the curtain fall shut and meandered into the kitchen. Damian rejoined him after a few minutes, expression carefully schooled into one of boredom.

He seemed to have forgotten the school comment, which…Jason counted as a blessing. That was a couple months out anyway – he wanted Damian adjusted to Gotham, adjusted to life outside the League, first.

“Last night you said that Harley Quinn killed the Joker. Why did Father not do so?” The kid phrased it as an announcement, as a demand, and Jason choked on his hashbrowns.

“Jesus _fuck_ kid –”

“Mother will not tell me what happened that night. She refused to speak of it.”

That gave him pause. He’d…never expected that.

_God_ , Talia was so _weird_ about boundaries. This was one he would have _preferred_ she crossed.

“I…well. Everything went well. Up until the end. I confronted him. Told him if he wouldn’t kill the Joker, I would. I didn’t – I never blamed him for my death, kid. I blamed him for letting that monster hurt _anyone_ else. It should’ve ended with me.”

“And he gave you the…scar?”

Jason nodded, watched carefully while the kid fisted his hands in his lap.

“Grabbed the Joker and bolted. Knew the building was set to rig, left me there bleeding out anyway. I barely got my ass outside ‘fore bleeding out. ‘N you know the rest.”

“And after your return, _she_ killed him. Not Father?”

Jason shrugged.

“Look – Ivy damn near raised me. She’s the only reason I was alive when B found me. Streets were rough, and when it got _bad_ , she fed me, protected me. Got Cat Mom to teach me how to steal. I didn’t see much of Harley then, but they were a thing, you get it? After B took me in I refused to fight any of ‘em – let ‘em get away with shit. We fought over it a lot. I only barely got to know Harley before I died, though. She was still…real fucked up about the Joker then. I don’t blame her for that. She said – said it hurt Ivy, my death. And they fought _bad_ over it, damn near destroyed their relationship over it. So when she got a second chance, she took it. Mostly for Ivy. ‘N I’m cool with that. I think she thought B would do it, ‘n when we got back to Gotham and he hadn’t…” Jason trailed off, and chose to stuff his face with the rest of his breakfast. Damian started picking at his food, but he looked genuinely _upset_.

“Mother always said Father was honorable. That he was just, and strong.”

“Most people still say that about him, kid.”

“I thought he loved you.” Damian whispered, and the unspoken _us_ broke Jason’s heart.

He’d had a lifetime to get used to disappointment. His hurt – that was his own fault, getting his hopes up. But Dami? He didn’t…Dami didn’t deserve that. Didn’t deserve the unanswered questions either – and he’d _never_ let the kid close enough to Bruce to even think about finding closure. Because there was _no_ reasoning that would ever make up for the harm Bruce had caused.

“Maybe once.” Jason found himself replying anyway. Damian let out a slow breath.

“He frightens me.” The kid confessed, and immediately popped a bite of food into his mouth. Jason flinched – it wasn’t _unexpcted_ , exactly, but _damn_ it hurt to hear.

He’d known since he’d woken up, in Talia’s care for a second time. He’d been alone with Damian, the boy clutching his hand, eyes rimmed red and wide with fright. It had only been the disorientation that _waking up_ brought with it that kept Jason from instinctively attacking but – _father did that_ , Damian had whispered, and the boy’d begun to shake.

Talia had always built Bruce up like a damn _god_ to that kid, and – well, it had been a rather large motivator for _getting the hell away_ from Damian. Jason didn’t like serving as a reminder to anyone – his brother or his father – simply by _existing_.

“He won’t _ever_ fucking touch you, Dami.” Jason said softly, and started cleaning up.

By the time he was done, Damian had finished eating and had perched himself on top of the kitchen counter.

“Do not think I’ve forgotten, _Todd_ , about this school business.” Damian began, tone imperious even if his eyes wouldn’t quite meet Jason’s. Jason smiled a little and followed along, dramatically rolling his eyes.

“Alright – c’mon.”

Damian followed him into the living room, and Jason wandered for a bit, grabbing his laptop and an old notebook and a handful of pens before tossing them on the coffee table. Damian watched, eyebrow raised. He looked almost concerned, which was cute.

“So – firstly. You are not allowed out at night. I’ve got to deal with my business shit. You stay _here_. We’re going to work on your uh, blending in skills first.”

“My _what?”_

“Your attitude might pass in the halls of the League, but three minutes out here and you’d be gutted like a damn fish, kid. You need to learn to blend in. To disguise yourself – assume different personalities and backgrounds. Work on your accents, on reading other people. You gotta learn to _lie_. Eventually _everywhere_ , but right now – just in Gotham.” Jason said frankly. Damian huffed, but just waved a hand in a ‘continue’ gesture after Jason finished. He wasn’t stupid enough to _not_ listen, not when he knew he needed the training, even if it hurt his ego. That was…a good sign. Jason loved him to death, but _damn_ the kid was spoiled.

“So, during the day I’ll be taking you around, showing you how to do that. And after a while, when I figure you’re skilled enough to not out yourself immediately, I’m going to enroll you in the nearby middle school. When B took me in, Alfie sent me to a dumbass elite private school. Taught me how to act around the rich and the privileged. You’ve got the opposite problem, and it’ll be harder for you. If I fucked up, I got called names. You fuck up and you could get the shit beat out of you – and you _will_ let it happen. You’ll be playing the part of a regular nine-year-old. Schoolwork won’t – or, _shouldn’t_ – be an issue, that’s not why you’re there. It’s the social part you’ll need to learn. How to handle enemies in close quarters, how to play nice with assholes, how to make friends.”

“That’s all?”

“No, of course not. I’ll teach you the dangerous shit too. _This_ is just my major concern, because it’ll take the longest and be the hardest for you. ‘N – some ground rules. Like I said, no going out at night. No secrets. And no killing.”

“ _Excuse me?”_ Damian bolted upright at that, incredulous. Jason held up his hands placatingly.

“You’re young. Not trying to be a condescending asshole here, just stating a fact. You need somebody dead? That’s what I’m here for. You need time to figure out your own boundaries and what you think is right, without Mom or your father or me shoving our ideologies down your throat. I don’t want you to regret it when you get older, kid. In case you don’t remember, _PTSD is a bitch_. Trauma’s a bitch. When you’re older and you make that decision for yourself, I will buy you a fucking gun or sword or whatever the fuck. But until then – nada, alright?”

Begrudgingly, Damian nodded – though if anything, he looked _even more_ pissed.

They lapsed into silence, and Jason let himself relax.

“I know I fucked up, Dami. Leaving you ‘n all that. Mom gave me a chance to…fix that. And I’m going to take it seriously, alright? I’m gonna do right by you. Even if you don’t like it, I’m going to make _damn_ sure you turn out better ‘n I did. Better than your parents. Better’n _mine_.”

Damian nodded slowly, as he spoke. And then crawled into Jason’s lap, tucked his head under Jason’s chin. He looped his arm around his brother, kept the kid close. Though the moment was serious, it was hard not to laugh. The kid was just so damn _cute_.

“Promise?”

“Always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO. Damian is 9 here, Jason says middle school (grades 6-8/ages 11-13) intentionally because even he wouldn’t subject that kid to an elementary school and he plans on having Damian ‘skip a grade’ anyway so nobody’ll think the literal murder baby is too suspicious. It'll be covered when it actually happens but JUST SO YA KNOW lol.
> 
> Next Chapter; apparently the literal murder baby needs a babysitter. Good thing Jason knows just who to call.


	4. 2 out of 3 ain't so bad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> murder baby gets loose and jason asks his sisters for help.

               Jason was feeling pretty damn fine, considering. He’d spent all of yesterday with Damian, shown him around the neighborhood and around a couple of Gotham’s most notable sites – the kid had bitched about it the whole time, but Jason knew he’d enjoyed it. That day had been much of the same, running Damian through some basic physical fitness tests and figuring out where Talia had left his education at, before sending him to bed and suiting up.

So – he was all relaxed, all smiles under the helmet as he stepped into his headquarters. His men looked up, most of them offering a quick wave or a brief greeting as he checked in on all the minute details they handled.

And then he stopped dead, one hand on his second’s shoulder and the other splayed across the blueprint on the table before him.

“You have _three fucking seconds_ to get your ass down here before I shoot you, kid.”

High up in the rafters, Damian flinched.

“How did you—?”

“Who the fuck do you think I am? Get the fuck down here _now._ ”

Jason straightened and folded his arms across his chest as Damian slowly lowered himself to the floor. He was dressed in League leathers, the katana sheathed on his back and a cowl pulled up over his nose. His people all started muttering to each other, nudging one another and looking skittish. Damian stood defiantly, though he wouldn’t meet Jason’s gaze. Jason let him sweat it out a little longer before speaking.

“I gave you _three rules_ , kid. And you just broke two of them.”

“Not _my_ fault you—”

“If you don’t shut your damn mouth I _will_ ground your ass.”

The shock of it seemed to leave Damian gaping, and his body language changed – went from stiff and haughty to horrified and outright petulant – in an instant. Jason stayed quiet, made certain Damian was going to start shouting. He was amused as hell, honestly – but he _knew_ he needed to make his position _crystal_ clear. Damian loved him, respected him, but Jason wasn’t Talia and sure as hell wasn’t any of Damian’s other teachers. At least he seemed to be taking it _well_.

“So what? This gonna be a thing? You gonna need a babysitter when I’m working?”

“I’m not a _child.”_ Damian snapped. Jason rolled his eyes beneath his helmet and stepped forward.

“You’re not even _ten_ , you little shit.” Jason drawled, and snagged the sword off of Dami’s back.

“ _This_ is mine. You’ll get it back if and when you learn to _listen_ , ‘n I can trust ya not to go stabbing anybody. ‘N your _lucky_ your sisters fucking owe me.”

“I d— _what—_ I don’t have any sisters!”

“You have _three_.” Jason shot back, and tapped his comm. The voice modulator shut off, keeping any noise he made quiet to those around him.

He heard the sharp intake of breath on O’s end, the surprise. He settled his hand on Damian’s shoulder, keeping the kid pinned in place. Damian folded his arms over his chest and stopped pretending he wasn’t pouting.

“J—Red Hood? Is something wrong?”

“Private?”

“Y—yes. What’s up?”

“So Mom came to town a couple days ago.”

“Yeah.”

“Brought my baby brother with her. I got custody for a while. Hoping you or one a the girls is willing to babysit him? I don’t want anyone else to see him – he’s liable to try ‘n kill Baby Bird, and Dick’s an asshole – until I got him…less stabby.”

“And you’re calling me? Why not Koriand’r or Roy?” She asked, but she sounded…pleased. Happy. It made Jason smile, a little. Forming a relationship with the older Bats had been… _difficult_ , to say the least, but he was genuinely happy with where they were now.

“He called Talia and demanded they be killed ‘cuz we’re dating. Holding _that_ shit show off as long as possible.” Talia _had_ just laughed her ass off at the call, but – well. Jason had taken Damian’s phone and broken it afterwards.

“He sounds like a real winner. Yeah – I can’t…probably not a good idea for me to watch a murder baby right now, but I’ll send Cassandra or Stephanie. I’m sure the boys can handle it themselves tonight.” And with that, Barbara ended the call.

Jason flipped the modulator back on and looked up at his people, still staring and still muttering awkwardly to themselves.

“Everybody, this is my baby brother. Ignore him. Asshole, this is everybody. If you kill _any_ of them I will send you back to Mom in _pieces_.” Damian let out that stupid little clucking noise and wrenched his shoulder out of Jason’s grip.

“I am _not_ a baby.”

“I am _this close_ to abandoning you with Nightwing. Do _not_ test me.”

Damian deflated at that, and Jason dramatically flapped a hand at their audience. After a heartbeat his people hopped back into motion, and got back to work.

It took him a moment to realize joking about _abandoning_ the kid probably wasn’t the best thing to do, and that the threat would make sense – Dick had stopped being a total nutcase around Jason a while ago, but by all accounts he was still as octopus-like as ever around Tim or the girls. Damian had yet to experience that particular horror.

Jason steered the kid into his office, in the back of the building.

He had _planned_ on just checking in for an hour or so before heading out on patrol. There were some plans he needed to sign off on – a women’s health clinic he was trying to convince Doctor Thompkins to help run once it was built and an update to the domestic abuse center at the edge of town, since apparently some abusive assholes had tracked down the location and kept trying to fight their way in – and more budgeting shit that he’d been neglecting. He _might_ be able to get to it, depending on how quickly –

Right on time, Cass rolled in through his window and splayed herself across the scruffy couch in a startlingly accurate recreation of the ‘draw me like one of your French girls’ pose. Then she spotted Damian and bolted upright—only to be flattened as a purple blur launched itself on top of her.

“Oh, great. Two for the price of one.”

“Bitch, I am _full price or nothing.”_ Stephanie cried, indignant, as she tried to untangle herself from Cass.

Jason closed and locked his office door, slapping a panel hidden behind a motivational cat poster Tim had hung up.

Sound-proofing, white noise. He was positive the place wasn’t bugged (by anyone other than Bruce, maybe), but spies were another matter entirely.

“Were close. When…O called. Who…this?” Cass rasped, and the girls’ flailing settled. Jason popped his helmet off as Stephanie settled onto Cass’s lap, flashing a grin at Damian.

“ _These_ are the protectors of this city? It’s no wonder it’s so _filthy_.”

Steph gaped, and Cass raised a pointed eyebrow as she pulled off her mask. Damian sneered at the two of them.

“Well, the little shit is Damian Al Ghul. Talia’s kid. My baby brother. Nobody outside this room knows as of right now and I’d like to keep it that way, ya hear me?”

“I see the family resemblance. You both look like you’ve been sucking on a rock.”

“What the hell is that even supposed to mean?”

“You’re both emotionless assholes who look like you need a good punch in the face, bro.”

“Don’t ‘bro’ me.”

“Watcha gonna do about it, bro?” Stephanie challenged, still grinning, and Cass stuck her tongue out over her girlfriend’s shoulder.

“You both disgust me.” Damian announced, and Jason laughed.

“Yeah okay, kid. This is Stephanie. Also known as Spoiler. Your…youngest sister? Right? Barbara – Oracle – is the oldest. She’ll show up eventually. And that is Cassandra Cain, formerly Batgirl, currently Black Bat. You might know her as ‘The One Who Is All’.” Jason added, and it took all he had not to just _die_ at the way Damian’s face slowly went slack and his face drained of color.

_God_ that was satisfying. Damn near as satisfying as the time he’d kidnapped Tim in civvies, seen the look of absolute horror on the kid’s face.

Cass shot him a look that could kill, and Stephanie slid off her lap with a sigh.

“So you two know each other?”

“Know Talia. Not...him.”

“No, but Talia made damn sure he knows _of_ her. Cass is the only Batfamily member she thinks is competent.”

“Except for you?”

“ _Including_ me.” Jason deadpanned, and Steph snorted in amusement.

“I fucking _love_ her. Right, so B doesn’t know, does he?”

“No, and I’d like to keep it that way. Less…bullshit. I’ll tell the rest of the family later, too but – for now, it stays _quiet_ , y’hear me?” Well. Those that _mattered_ , anyway.

Stephanie snapped a crisp salute, and Cass nodded. Damian curled up on top of Jason’s desk, staring wide-eyed at Cass. And _that_ made Jason happy. Cass, at least, Damian would respect without a fight. Would _listen to_ without a fight.

“Free vacation.” Cass said, and smiled at the kid.

“I’ll owe you.”

“A murder?!”

“Why do you want me to owe you a murder.”

“Because you owe Tim three.”

“I owe Tim three because he doesn’t like that I offer them, ‘n he takes me up on the ‘get outta Gotham’ card _way_ too often.” Tim didn’t have the balls to ask the clone out, but Jason had a sneaking suspicion that would be _handled_ sooner rather than later. Stephanie had been asking _questions_.

“But you’ll owe us a murder, though, right?”

“Who do you want dead that badly?”

“No one! Right now, anyway! That’s the point!”

“I don’t—”

“What about a kidnapping!? Would you do that? If I made you kidnap Nightwing would you do it? Or what about Tim’s clone? What if I made you kidnap Alfred?!”

“No. No. No. Already have, it’s not that hard, you can do it yourself. And _no_. Alfred could _literally_ kill me without breaking a sweat. He is the _only_ person I rank higher than Cass in terms of ‘beating the ever-living fuck out of me’.”

“True.” Steph mused, and Cass leaned into her, laughing so hard her entire body shook. Damian looked more than a little bewildered.

“Anyway! Nice to meet you, murder baby. This is why Jay and I aren’t allowed to hang out unsupervised anymore. You blow up city hall _once_ and nobody lets you forget it.” Stephanie stuck her hand out, and Damian stared at it like it would bite him.

“Todd, I have _concerns_.”

“You forfeit the right to be _concerned_ when you broke my rules. You already know Cass could beat your face in with a toothpick, but Steph can too. If she doesn’t talk you to death first. They are in charge until I get back. ‘N – send me your coordinates, I’ll cover your routes tonight too.”

“ _Aww_.”

“So sweet.” Cass cooed, and Jason rolled his eyes as she clasped her hands in front of her.

“We’re not leaving your apartment for at _least_ a week. By the way. I want quality bonding time with the Baby Bat!”

“Baby Bat?” Jason repeated, and Damian’s eyes got big again. He had _no_ clue how to handle Stephanie.

“I’ve never had a baby brother before! And like – _Jason_ , he’s a spitting image of his dad, good luck with that later.”

Jason tensed a little, but really – it wasn’t unexpected. He’d known they’d know as soon as they met him.

“Tim is younger than you.”

“He’s my _ex_ , you nasty.”

“Your break up speech specifically included the ‘you’re like a brother to me’ line.”

“I don’t fuck siblings!”

“No, you turn people you’ve fucked _into_ siblings. Like some fucked up mutation or something.”

“I hate you. I _will_ plant glitter bombs in your home. And I _will_ fuck your sister on your couch for that.”

“I _will_ burn it.”

“Good, we can roast some s’mores on that bitch.”

“ _Not_ in front of the kid, please.”

“You are…in a relationship.” Damian tried, and Jason meandered over to the desk. Leaned back against it, close enough that Damian’s arm brushed his.

“Yeah!”

“But you are _sisters.”_

“Told you you were a sick fuck, Steph.” Jason burst out, laughing so hard he was doubled over. Cass was slowly sliding off the couch, tears streaming down her face, and Stephanie looked alternatively horrified and impressed.

“You really are Talia’s kid, aren’t you.”

And even though Damian’s face was burning red so bright he looked like a damn tomato, he looked distinctly pleased with himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I fucking loooooooove the sibling snark and shit. 'N I know there's been some concern w/the lack of Dick or Alfred? But not to worry!! Jason is not comfortable telling them about this bc of their proximity to Bruce - he goes to the girls first because he 1, wants to tell them, and 2, trusts them to keep it to themselves/that they aren't bugged to high hell and back. They are not absent and will show up eventually. I also wanna put Duke in but I don't think it'll make it in this particular part of the series, probably later.
> 
> Also, part one of damian learning about the weird ass relationships in the batfam and being thoroughly Confused and Concerned.  
> Also, Canon can clearly go fuck itself I only care up to a certain point - Cass did the whole Batgirl thing here and then took the name Black Bat. I have no fucking clue what she technically is in the comics (isn't she Orphan? But like her BG run was sooo fucking awesome? So just a heads up there ^^) Also I 10/10 love it because it gives her such a unique relationship to Jason, clearly they need to hang out more because they would LOVE EACH OTHER and I will NEVER stop championing that!!!!!


	5. a heart - to - heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the title of Best Sister Ever goes too....

               There was an art, to handling her brothers. To maneuvering around her father. One Cassandra did not like to linger on, because that meant acknowledging the _whys_ and _hows_ and _whens_ of the mess. She read them like air, no different than breathing, but getting them to even _sit down_ for a second around each other was like pulling teeth. Nearly impossible.

So – she’d known. Seen the way Jason had moved around that hole in his side, guessed at who it was he missed. But she’d never asked, never pushed. He was full of wounds like that. Aborted movements and choked words, calling for somebody that wasn’t there. Missing was like a disease, and cutting away Bruce’s presence had been almost as traumatic as death itself. Even now, the rot still clung to him – especially when he came face-to-face with Batman. Tim helped. Dick, as strained as their relationship was, helped. Repairing _some_ of the damage done to him.

But it was one thing to see it in Jason, who had carried that grief around his entire life. It was another to see it in the boy, Damian. The way he looked at Jason, afraid and awed. So – so Cass _asked_.

About how they knew each other, about what Jason had been like before, about why Damian loved him so. Three days they spent in Jason’s apartment, Stephanie wearing down Damian’s defenses and Cass prodding him into opening up, Jason adjusting to the boy’s presence. It took two days for Damian to stop being so suspicious, to _really_ tell them instead of just giving short answers to every question.

Jason let him be a child. Played with him, read him bedtime stories and tucked him in. Chased off the worst of his tutors and kept Ra’s in line when the Demon’s Head visited the boy’s compound. Helped bring a smile to Talia’s face, ease the seriousness with which she treated her son. Jason had promised to protect him for _him_ , not for his blood or station, and shown genuine, unfettered affection.

Jason had started snarling at Stephanie and her – they weren’t doing a good job of hiding how adorable they found it. Cassandra was just glad Jason had been able to put aside the pit-madness for _something_ , even back then.

So – when Jason stepped into his room to prepare for that night’s patrol, and Damian began to _lurk_ , Cassandra took action.

She watched him quietly until the boy finished stalking around the apartment and selected the kitchen counter as his post. He hauled himself up onto it and sat perfectly still, eyes glued on the door Jason had disappeared behind and _scowled_. But Cass could see the fear and anxiety in his body language, the fright tracing its way down shaking fingers knotted in his lap and the hurt lingering in each shaky inhale.

When Cass slid into the spot beside him, he twitched, gaze snapping up to her as his eyes widened. She was used to _frightening_ others – she didn’t quite know how to make herself sound _loud_ , even now – but he looked ready to _challenge_ her instead.

She smoothed a stray lock of hair back from his forehead and offered him a gentle smile.

“What do you want _now?”_

“Jason…love you. Very much.”

He turned bright red at that, and spluttered for a minute before scooting as far away from her as he could while still keeping Jason’s door in his line of sight. Panic firing through his nerves like lightning. Shame.

“Want…protect you. Family… _much_. Want…meet _slow._ ”

“He’s told me before. If the rest of you lot are as exhausting as you two I can see why.” Damian grumbled, but his ire was empty – put on for show, to hide his shaking.

“Jason…not tell. Us. Or…Batman. Kept…secret. Not…call. Batman… _track_. See?”

All she could do was offer him a sad, gentle smile as the color drained from his face.

_Defensive_ was the only way she could describe his reaction. He clung to her words, shook a little at the confirmation – at the reassurance that _yes_ , Jason did love him, that he had _not_ abandoned him – but he still _radiated_ hostility, as if he was not allowed to accept her words.

His shock was so great that, when Stephanie slung an arm around his shoulders, he didn’t even move.

“B’s kind of a dick, if you haven’t noticed. Jay doesn’t want you going out in case he shows up. _But_ since we’re technically your babysitters, if you promise to not be a little shit and do what we tell you, we’ll let you out after him.”

“Know…fear. Anxiety. When…leave. Will help.” Cassandra added, and Damian _lit up_ , all hope and excitement and _relief_ , and he let her pull him and Stephanie into a group hug without so much as an eye-roll in complaint.

“Thank you.” He whispered, after a moment, and Cass kissed the top of his head.

“But like, also, no murdering allowed. So no, you don’t get your sword back.”

And Cass’s heart literally _leapt_ with joy, when Damian let out an exaggerated sigh and slumped his shoulders – met her gaze for half an instant and then blushed, looking down at the counter.

Steph had regaled him with tales of Cassandra’s abilities the past few days. That the boy had understood what she meant – Stephanie was _not_ a good story-teller in any way, shape, or form – and tried to use it to joke with her – well.

That was more than she ever would have hoped for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I rewrote this so many fucking times it's not even funny  
> ANYWAY sorry it's so short but also like, THERE YA GO.


	6. dick is a dick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damian meets Nightwing. He is not impressed.

               Todd was horrifyingly boring for the next two nights, and it took every ounce of self-control Damian possessed to not sulk about it when he returned to the apartment. It was all _paperwork_. Every once in a while Todd veered off course to handle a robbery or mugging, but most of his nights were spent organizing his lackeys and talking to Gotham’s citizens.

Being a crime lord, as it turned out, was _stupid_. Damian didn’t know why Mother liked it so much, let alone Todd.

So – when Todd took a moment to scale a decrepit-looking church and light a cigarette, something wildly outside his usual pattern, Damian followed him so quickly he almost lost the tracker Cain had given him. _If you lose it_ , Stephanie had said, _we’ll drag your ass back here so fast you won’t even have time to blink._ Given that it was a flat disc about the size of his palm, and he didn’t actually have any pockets, it took serious effort to keep it from just disappearing – but he managed. The trouble was worth it.

He crawled into the shadowy embrace of a gargoyle, and bit his lip as he waited for something interesting to happen.

Todd peeled his helmet off, ran a hand through his hair, and carefully placed his helmet out of the way. A heartbeat later, a man in black, a blue stripe slashing its way across his arms, his chest, swung himself up over the ledge and landed in a crouch beside Todd.

“Not a fan of the fucking stalking, Dickie.” Todd said, and despite the wariness in his posture, he was startlingly _relaxed_ , around the other man. They must have known each other.

“Not here to play, _Hood_.”

“Mm, that kind of night, is it?” And just like that, Todd was all wound up, tense and ready for a fight. He stubbed his cigarette out on the gargoyle behind him, and Damian tightened his grip on the tracker. He wished he would’ve been able to bring his sword.

“I don’t fucking _believe you_. Honestly. I thought – _what is wrong with you?”_

“The fuck you talking about?” Todd asked sharply, and the man in black and blue moved as if to step forward. Todd moved faster, squared his shoulders and did that thing he used to do – Damian hadn’t seen him do it since Mother had dropped him off, had almost dared to hope Todd was free of it – where his eyes started to lighten, go all green-bright and angry. Pit-mad.

Damian scooted closer, breath catching in his throat. He wasn’t armed, but – he could still take the man. Todd and Cain had been drilling him on non-lethal tactics – it wouldn’t be hard.

“Don’t act like you don’t know!”

“What the fuck is with you Bats, assuming I can read your fucking mind? I’m a zombie, not a fucking telepath.” The humor in Todd’s voice was forced, more mechanical than anything else. He was trying not to be angry with the man in black and blue.

Damian didn’t understand it.

“After all that shit you gave B about T—about _Robin_ —”

“Hold the _fuck up._ I am trying _real fucking hard right now_ —”

“—And here you are doing the same thing?!”

Todd slammed the other man against the stonework beside them before he’d even finished speaking – finished his accusation. Damian – well.

Rage burned its way up his throat like acid, white-hot and painful. The Batman was – what he’d done to Todd was _unforgivable_. And for this man to compare the two, to say Todd was _anything_ like—

“You got ten seconds to explain what the fuck you’re talking about ‘fore I throw you off the fucking roof, y’hear me?” Todd growled, and Damian saw the man’s hand start to move—

He’d launched himself at the two of them before the thought had fully crystalized in his mind, feet slamming into the man’s hip and wrenching him out of Todd’s grip. He yelped, flailing as he tried to get his balance – and disappeared over the edge of the building. The stick he’d been reaching for clattered to the stone beneath his feet, sparking electricity. Damian kicked it after him.

He could feel his brother’s eyes like a physical weight on the back of his neck, but Todd only let out an exaggerated sigh and dove after the stranger.

Damian had expected him too, though it still enraged him. The accusations and then the attack – and here Todd was, still grappling the idiot to safety.

Damian stepped back against the gargoyle behind him, and tried not to scowl too deeply.

“You’re not supposed to be out.” Todd said, when he finally returned to the rooftop. He dumped the man in black and blue unceremoniously against a gargoyle, and Damian felt a little burst of satisfaction in the way the man eyed him warily, angrily, and clutched at his hip.

“As if you could stop me.” Damian retorted, folding his arms across his chest. It was a bit of a bluff, but…the sentiment still stood. Todd eyed him silently for a moment, and then snorted.

“C’mon out, Cass. You ‘n Steph are grounded, by the way.”

“Can’t.” Came the raspy reply, and Damian started badly as a presence settled above him. He looked up and gaped, staring up at Cain. She pulled her own mask off and grinned a little at him.

“ _How--?!”_

“Like fuck I can’t. You were s’posed to keep the little shit _off_ the streets for me.”

“Cried. Was…hurt. Better now.”

“ _I did not--!”_ Damian shrieked, and smacked at her foot – the only part of her he could reach. She laughed, slithered down the gargoyle before he could hit her, and scooped him up into a hug.

He couldn’t possibly break free of her hold – Cain was a _monster_ – but he refused to relax, and glared at Todd’s raised eyebrow. He ignored the heat in his face.

“You…wrong. Bad…assume…Jay hurt…baby bat.” Cain added, this time clearly to the man in black and blue if his flinch was any indication.

“What else am I supposed to think when the city’s suddenly all abuzz about Red Hood’s new _sidekick?_ ”

“Jesus – really? You’re believing that rumor mill bullshit? _That’s_ what this shit’s about?!” Todd exploded, but Damian –

Was he? Todd’s…sidekick? His partner? _Could_ he be, if Todd ever stopped being so _whiny_ about going out on the streets? Or – if Damian – _when_ Damian finished Todd’s training?

Todd couldn’t leave then. Not if Damian was integral to his business, as boring as it was.

Cain pressed a kiss to the side of his head and he looked up at her. He must have been doing a poor job of hiding his emotions, because she smiled at him, a little sadly. He wrenched his gaze away, and tried to fight the burning in his ears. Gifted or not, she was a _disgrace_.

“Well it’s true, apparently!”

“I am trying to keep the little shit _off_ the streets, which you would know if you payed _any_ attention to what the fuck was going on around you!”

“And that covers attempted _murder?_ Are you _insane?!”_

Todd punched the man in the face. Cain didn’t let go of Damian – she settled cross-legged on the ground as the two began to fight, and pulled him onto her lap. He went with it. Cain would interfere if there was any danger to Todd. And – the other man was _good_. Fluid, and graceful, and fast. But he wasn’t…he wasn’t as good as Todd was. But Todd was…even clearly enraged, still burning Lazarus fumes and the color of his eyes shifting, he was _holding back_.

“Why…?” Damian started, and then stopped. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to ask. _If_ he wanted to ask, when the other man was in earshot.

“Safer. Be…underestimated. Nightwing is…brother. Older. Many emotions.”

“But you don’t do that. And neither does Stephanie.” He stopped, frowning. That wasn’t… _entirely_ true. He’d only sparred with them – he’d yet to see either woman go for the kill, so to speak. They’d explained that they did not kill. Todd hadn’t even rolled his eyes at them for saying so. So he didn’t know how they _truly_ fought, but – still.

“No. Women. Already…underestimated.”

Damian fell silent, nodded slowly and returned his attention to the fight. That he understood. The few times he’d repeated Grandfather’s musing on leadership and ability, he’d lived to regret it. Mother had not entertained those ideas at all. Neither had Todd.

“…He was the first Robin, then.”

“Yes.”

“He still…believes in the Batman?” Damian asked, hesitant, and glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. Cain stilled, her arms tightening around him. But she understood.

“Batman…different. For him. Was…good.”

There was a roar in front of them, and Damian looked up in time to see Todd pin the other man down, a blade pressed hard to his throat.

“You wanna be a piece of shit too, I don’t have any fucking problem treating you like one.” Todd snarled, and the man looked away, though he still looked furious.

“Are you going to kill him?” Damian asked, and both men jerked like they’d been slapped, Todd rearing away so quickly he nearly fell off the side of the roof.

“No—Damian, I told you _not_ to come out. So what the hell are you doing out here? _Cass?_ ”

“Told you.”

“Mother will be disappointed that it took you this long to realize I was following you.”

“ _Moth—_ holy _shit,_ Jason that’s – _that’s why Talia was in town?”_

As if they hadn’t been fighting half a second ago, the other man reached out and grabbed at Todd, who shrugged him off with a snarl. But the rage – all that tension – had…dissipated. Eased. Damian relaxed a little.

“If you’d stop being a _bitch_ and let me fucking _explain_ , I coulda told you that a long ass time ago, Dickie!”

The two men glared at each other for another long moment, before the man in black sighed and hung his head.

“So – yeah. You’re right. Sorry. I got…heard it from some credible sources, and I…didn’t think to question it.”

And – Todd forgave him. Just like that. Like that paltry excuse was enough, as if the man in black hadn’t compared him to the _Batman_ , as if –

“So we can swear you to secrecy now, right?”

“Y—why? What for? Just ‘cuz he’s Talia’s? Who – why would she send him _here_ if she need him protected? No offense, Jay.”

“ _Protection?_ No. I am here for _training_ , not that you would understand.” Damian interjected, and the man glanced at him, surprised. Not dismissively, though. The man studied him for a long moment before turning to face Todd – and then whipped his head back around, eyes wide with recognition as he stared at Damian.

“ _Holy fuck.”_

“B can’t find out. Or – not now, anyway.”

“You think you could hide _this_ from him?!”

“I did for years, I think I can keep it up for a couple months or whatever.” Todd’s casual words were betrayed by the tension in his shoulders, the stiff way he held himself. Damian, too, was having a hard time not getting hostile.

Did he really look that much like his father? That…all it took was just _one look?_ Before – before Todd, that would have made him so happy, but now he just –

He felt _uneasy_. Couldn’t quite articulate why.

“Don’t you think he has a right to know?”

“He killed me. He _literally_ killed me. Do you think I’m about to hand him a _child_? Another kid he can turn into a soldier? Another kid he can _kill?”_

And – well. That was the last of the conversation Damian heard. They left, then – Todd and the man in blue. Pulled each other out into the night sky with grim faces and hard eyes, but they moved together like they were used to it.

“Will you explain to me what is going on?”

Cain studied him a moment before replying.

“Not…close. Like us. Nightwing…thinks Batman will…change.”

Damian swallowed, hard.

“And you do not think he will?”

She let out a slow, steady breath, and kissed his forehead.

She didn’t have to say it.


	7. dick ruins family bonding time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> they have a visitor, damian is Upset.

               Jason glanced over his shoulder when he heard the groan of wood on tile to see Damian dragging a chair towards him. He didn’t say a word, just moved over a touch and let the kid climb atop the chair and peer over the lip of the pot boiling on the stove in front of him.

“What is it?” Damian asked after a moment, and Jason handed him the ladle, let the kid stir for a minute.

“Figured you probably still don’t eat meat, so we’re having vegetable soup. Not anything fancy.”

Mostly because he hadn’t gone grocery shopping, but the point still stood. Damian stilled for a heartbeat, then started stirring the pot a little faster.

“Teach me.” Damian finally demanded, but he didn’t look up or glare at Jason. It was a little tell, but one he’d kept from when he was much younger. He had a hard time hiding his smile.

Jason just nodded to the counter, and the vegetables piled atop the cutting board.

“C’mon, then. I’ll show you how to cut ‘em.”

“I know how to _cut_ things.”

“Say that to Alfred, I dare you.”

“Who is Alfred?”

He stilled then, smile slipping a little. It was easy to forget that Damian didn’t actually know much about – well. His family. Talia had known everything about Jason, before she’d even rescued him. She’d been casual about it, whereas Bruce had refused to actually admit to the stalking even when Jason had caught him, back before everything had happened. She’d known without asking exactly where his schooling had been left off, his training as Robin. Known which fighting styles he would prefer, which weapons he had a natural affinity for. And after his homecoming, he’d gotten used to his siblings doing the same – though Tim was the only one who was as casual about it as Talia.

And considering how nosy Damian could be, it was kind of a miracle Talia had kept so much about the family hidden from him. He hadn’t even known Bruce was his father until the aftermath of Jason’s homecoming.

“Alfred’s our grandfather. Taught me how to cook. He’ll…when we tell him, he’ll probably come visit, when he can get away from the Manor.”

He demonstrated the proper cutting technique while he spoke, and nudged Damian when he’d finished the first stalk of celery. Damain was staring down at the vegetables, expression pinched.

“He chose father.” He finally said, and picked up the offered knife.

Jason couldn’t control the way he flinched at the statement, but before he could even begin to think up a response, the doorbell rang.

Damian shot him a puzzled look, but Jason didn’t let his apprehension show. Cass and Steph were banned for the time being, and Tim was still out of the loop. Babs would’ve called ahead. And it wasn’t like Bruce was the _only_ option, but – that didn’t really help his anxiety.

“I—”

“Keep cutting. I’ll be back.”

Talia’s knife was a comforting weight in his hand, and Jason glared over his shoulder to make sure his little brother stayed put. And he did, though Jason could see him slipping another knife behind his back before continuing with the vegetables. Frankly – it was good enough for Jason.

He swung the door open fast enough and hard enough that it smashed into something and a pained yelp sounded. Jason froze for a moment, because _what the fuck_ , and Dick took the opportunity to limp out from behind the door holding his foot.

“What the actual hell, Jason?”

“What the actual fuck are you doing here?” Jason snapped back, and made a show of slamming his blade down on the table to his right.

“Oh, so you were going to break my toe _and_ stab me?”

“I wasn’t expecting visitors, _Dick_. You’re lucky I led with the door. And what the hell were you doing hiding behind it anyway?”

“I didn’t hear you come up! I was going to knock again!” There was an accusation there, somewhere, but Jason didn’t have the brain power to parse it out.

“Were you followed?”

“No, B’s dealing with some League business.” Dick said, shaking his head. Jason eyed him for another moment, but moved out of the way and let Dick in.

Dick was doing a poor job of pretending he’d never been to the apartment before, looking around with exaggerated interest while Jason closed and locked the door, and it made Jason’s skin crawl.

“Nice place.”

“Shut the fuck up. Dami, you can drop the knife.”

Dick came into view of the kid as Jason spoke, and Jason peered over his brother’s shoulder to see Damian pulling a face, clearly thinking they couldn’t see him, and shoving his steak knife back into the appropriate drawer.

“I have finished cutting the vegetables. What is _he_ doing here?”

“You’re making dinner?” Dick asked, surprised. Damian scowled at him, and Jason pushed past him to stir his broth.

“Is this you begging for a meal?”

“I mean, I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Absolutely not.” Damian hissed, and Dick looked genuinely hurt. Jason just –

“Dami—”                                          

“This is the same man that attacked and insulted you. Why did you even let him through the door?”

 “If I thought he was going to hurt you, I wouldn’t have let him in.”

Damian looked _outraged_ , at that. Absolute fury written on his face, hurt in his eyes. It took the breath out of Jason, to see that.

He knew that feeling. Had grown up with that caged in the back of his throat and burning in his veins like fire. Had choked it down, or been _told_ to choke it down, his whole damn life. It killed him, that he didn’t know _why_ Damian was so upset. That he couldn’t…not fix it, exactly, but help smooth it over.

“That is _not_ what this is about.” Damian snarled, and then stalked out of the kitchen. He hesitated for a moment in the living room, then darted into Jason’s room and slammed the door shut as hard as he could. The noise made Jason flinch – and then he hurtled his ladle at Dick, when the asshole moved like he was going to go after the kid.

Dick meant well, he was sure, even if he suspected Dick was going to be – well, a _dick –_ about Dami’s presence. He was more heart than brains, sometimes. And maybe it was a little bit of jealousy on his part.

It was _his_ place, to comfort Damian. Not Dick’s.

“Jason—!”

“Fetch. ‘N then tell me what the hell you’re even here for.” Jason added, and made a point to not glance towards his bedroom door. Dami would be listening. And he might’ve been able to guess what Dick wanted, but – he was going to make the asshole say it, at least.

Dick looked, for a moment, like he would argue, but common sense prevailed. For once.

Jason threw himself into cooking. He wasn’t sure what he’d say – what he’d ask. Or – well. He knew what he _wanted_ to say, but with Damian there to remind him just how _fragile_ his relationship with his brothers were…

Hell, Tim only really talked to him because Jason didn’t give him the option to _not_ speak to him.

Something poked his side, gently, and Jason’s gaze snapped up to meet Dick’s raised eyebrow. He was holding the ladle.

“You wash it?”

“I’m not a total heathen.”

“Do it again.”

“ _Asshole_.” Dick muttered, but he did.

“…You gonna tell B?” Jason finally asked, and – because when he’d pulled Dick off that roof, away from Damian and Cass, he’d only really talked about the logistics of Damain’s existence. He’d kept it clinical. That had entailed leaving Dick to stew on the information, rather than explode on him. Staying in with Damian that night had been part of that – spend some alone time with him, and avoid Dick in particular.

Dick showing up kind of threw a wrench in that, though.

“I think he deserves to know.” Dick sighed, leaning against the counter. Jason didn’t even bother to hide the way he tensed at that, but he just focused on cooking. Dick had already dried off the ladle.

“But I won’t…I’m not going to step into that. If Talia sent him here, she’s hiding him. And this? B wouldn’t keep it quiet. I just – why didn’t you ever…why didn’t you ever _mention_ him?”

The look Jason gave him could’ve melted _steel_.

“Are you fucking _stupid?_ You _defended_ Bruce after he _literally_ murdered me. I couldn’t trust you to put _me_ first when you kept monologuing about how we were brothers and how close we were – why the actual fuck would I trust you to keep a kid you had no relationship with safe? And you really think B doesn’t stalk you? I wasn’t going to risk telling you when he still bugs all of you to hell and back.”

Dick hunched over himself, face paling.

“It wasn’t…that’s – _this –_ isn’t him, Jay. You know that.”

As much as that killed him - Jason waved a hand dismissively. It was getting easier to gloss over it.

“Even if he hadn’t kept fucking with me, I wouldn’t forgive him for what he did to the girls or Tim.”

“What do you mean?”

“Putting them out on the streets? I died on the job, Dick. If he gave a shit about any of them he would’ve let them have normal lives. Would’ve _insisted_.”

“And you think you can give that to the kid?” Dick shot back, _immediately_. And it really took Jason’s breath away, the challenge in his brother’s eyes, because he realized – well, Dick didn’t think he _could_.

It shouldn’t have been surprising; Dick had _never_ really thought Jason capable of much, even when he was still in the reds and greens. He shared that with Bruce. It worked to Jason’s benefit, mostly, but it was fucking –

It was _frustrating_ , because it meant Dick – like Bruce – knew fuck all about his personal life. The patented bat-stalking was infuriating and invasive and inappropriate but at least _that_ showed that they cared. So Dick didn’t even know about Lian, which meant he probably didn’t realize he was _in a relationship_ with Roy and Kori, and –

This was why he avoided Dick. There was too much…

“It’s not that fucking hard to _not abuse a child_ , you fuck. And if you try to fuck with him or kidnap him or pull _any_ kind of bullshit, I will rip your mask off in front of the whole fucking city.”

Dick looked genuinely taken aback by that.

“You—”

“Consider that a _mercy_ , because Talia would do worse. _Will_ do worse. This ain’t your business. _I_ am _barely_ your business.”

“We’re brothers, Jason.” Dick snapped, immediately on the defensive. His eyes were still uncertain though, knuckles white around the edge of the counter top.

It was a change of subject, a concession. Jason doubted the conversation was over, but it was – he’d take it. He was _tired_ of fighting with Dick, over everything. Tired of waiting for the other shoe to drop, every time Dick showed up.

“You shouldn’t’ve come.” He pointed out, and flicked the burner off.

“You don’t talk to me! If I don’t hunt you down I literally don’t see you at all!”

“I wonder why that is. Grab a bowl. Above the sink.”

“If you would _call me_ once in a while—”

“And live through this shit again? No thank you.”

But Dick did as asked, and yanked out a trio of mismatched bowls. Jason caught the sound of a door clicking open, behind him.

“You’re supposed to _talk_ to your family, little wing.”

“I do.”

 _And there it was_. Damian slammed the door shut again.

This was proving to be more complicated than Jason had thought.

“Not me!”

“You’re an asshole. Why would I.”

They bantered, a little bit, while Jason turned off the stove and portioned out dinner. But it was subdued, and Dick’s gaze was heavy and dark as it followed him around the kitchen.

Damian opened the door when Jason knocked just enough to snatch the offered bowl so quickly it splashed on his hand, which was –

“You deserved that!” Jason shouted through the door, and he heard Damian shout something in Arabic back. Which was good. Meant the kid wasn’t pissed beyond reason.

“Seriously, though, what are you planning to do with the kid?” Dick asked, once they were done eating, and sitting around the table awkwardly. Jason just stared at him for a long moment.

“I am absolutely not going to tell you anything about it. Not your business.”

“You don’t trust me.” Dick said softly, and he sounded genuinely hurt.

“I’m _trying_ , little wing. And I know that’s not—”

“I know. I get it. I appreciate it.”

Dick waited a moment, and a little vindictive part of him trilled in glee when Dick frowned.

“And?”

“And what?”

“ _And?”_

“He’s not your business. This shit’s between us. What else do you need?”

Dick made a screechy noise of frustration and flopped back in his chair, nearly tipping the whole damn table over in the process.

“Should’ve just gone to your moms.”

_“Excuse me?”_

“You haven’t told them about the kid yet, have you?”

Jason blinked, and then tried desperately to keep the cold horror dawning on him off his face.

“They’ve met him before. Talia probably told them.”

“Since when does Talia work with the Sirens?” Dick shot back. He was already grinning, like he’d won. Jason saw his chance and – well, Damian was still _definitely_ listening, and honestly –

Talia and Cat Mom hated each other, but that didn’t mean they weren’t a thing. Jason stayed out of it, but he’d caught enough aborted conversations and accidentally seen enough message logs trying to hack their phones – in his defense, they were hard to shop for – to know something was up.

He didn’t want to know anything more than that. And as satisfying as it would’ve been to throw it back at Dick, he suspected Damian would have a hard time with him dating another man, let alone a man and a woman. _Let alone_ whatever their mom was doing, _so_.

“Do you actually need anything or…?”

Dick rolled his eyes and slapped his phone onto the table, like that meant something. When Jason just raised an eyebrow, he sighed.

“Trying to do some sibling bonding here, why are you making it so difficult? I brought cases.”

That…wasn’t terrible. And…

Jason leaned back in his chair, glancing towards his bedroom.

Damian cracked the door open when Jason called his name, though his eyes were still narrowed and his mouth twisted into a hard line.

“Wanna learn how to detective?” He asked, and kicked Dick under the table when the asshole tensed up.

Damian was going to keep sneaking out, keep demanding training, and keep honing his skills no matter what Jason did. And frankly – it was for the best. When Ra’s finally flipped his shit, it would be deadly, and the better Damian knew how to defend himself the better.

This was something non-lethal. Bookwork. And he’d learn to cooperate, maybe, while doing it. If Jason could redirect the need to prove himself from something physical to something mental – it wouldn’t be perfect, but it was a start.

Bruce had escalated it with him. And with Dick. Spotted their need for action and cultivated it into what they were now – vigilantism and all. Jason wasn’t quite sure he could do the opposite, but –

He literally _could not_ do any worse than Bruce. He had enough self-confidence to say that to himself.

And Damian had enough confidence in him to creep out of the bedroom and join them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I proof-read this even less than normal I have been stuck on this chp for way too long  
> Enjoy  
> thank you all for the support, by the way, I'm so glad you're all enjoying this and it really means a lot!
> 
> I'm hoping this gives a bit more insight into DIck and Jason's relationship. It's volatile, not super kind. They have issues, but they're trying to work past them. Mostly by pretending they don't exist.

**Author's Note:**

> YEAH OKAY  
> I'm not posting these in chronological order, basically as I finish them you're getting them. Order will be adjusted accordingly, but I plan on being pretty open/you shouldn't have to worry about spoilers? This one's not so much about plot plot, but rather character emotions and relationships. As of right now the first 'intro' fic to the series goes before this (not posted yet), and after this is Diplomatic Immunity.


End file.
